"Mark Blanchard's Embracing Power Yoga" (90 minutes, $29.95, 888-300-YOGA, www.poweryoga.tv). Reviewed by Karen Ollerenshaw, 32, of Redmond.

"Beginners beware!" says Ollerenshaw. "I tried this video with my non-yoga twin sister, Kathy. After a mere 10 minutes she proclaimed, 'Enough! I'm done,' and watched me finish the tape." For those who have practiced yoga for awhile, Ollerenshaw says, the video provides an invigorating, sweaty aerobic workout. "Even with years of Hatha and Iyengar yoga experience under my belt, I found this to be a very challenging yoga workout. I felt fantastic after completing the video, but I did listen to my body throughout the practice and rested often." She thought Blanchard was a joy to watch, and found his instructions clear, gentle and reassuring. "Blanchard's class of yoga students were pretty advanced and flexible, but there was a fella in the back row I could relate to."

"Ab Attack" (60 minutes, $19.95, 800-433-6769, www.bodyproductions.com). Reviewed by Loreen Sako, 41, of Edmonds.

"I've never been too fond of exercising to a video," Sako says, "but this one's a keeper!" It's divided into a 30-minute segment with abdominal work, followed by 30 minutes of back stabilization exercises, with instructor Trish Muse emphasizing proper form and technique throughout. "The variety of abdominal exercises provided easy or hard and challenging moves by including modifications for both," Sako says. "As for the back segment, I'm convinced the stabilization exercises hastened the progress of my rehabilitation back into my normal running routine."

Fitness news you can use BikeE recall BikeE Corp., of Corvallis, Ore., has recalled about 13,500 BikeE recumbent bicycles because the seats can crack and break, causing them to come off and risk injuring the rider. The recall includes all 1999-through-2001-model BikeE bicycles with 27-inch-tall seat backs and silver-colored seat frames with black mesh seat backs. "BikeE" is written on the frame. For more information, call BikeE Corp. at 800-231-3136 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Lefty relief Left-handed golfers frustrated by a lack of equipment for southpaws now can go to www.left-teegolf.com to find equipment, training aids, instruction books, a bulletin board for buying and selling used equipment and a forum for commiserating with other lefties. Members ($40 a year) receive products and discounts. Triathlon training Thinking of entering the Danskin Women's Triathlon at Seward Park in August? The second edition of Sally Edwards' book "Triathlons for Women" ($14.95; 916-481-7283; www.heartzones.com) includes instruction on basic swimming, bicycling and running moves, training programs and racing advice. Edwards, national spokeswoman for Danskin (800-452-9526, www.danskin.com/triathlon) who has completed every race since the series began — more than 50! — also has written "The Complete Book of Triathlons" ($16.95).

"Shaping Up With Weights For Dummies" (51 minutes, $9.95, 800-433-6769; www.collagevideo.com). Reviewed by Pat Crace, 67, of Seattle.

"I like this video a lot and am able to do nearly all of the exercises," says Crace. She appreciated how the introduction explained levels of difficulty as well as its easy pace and combination of exercises with and without weights. She says the background rhythm matched the pace of the exercise, and demonstrator Tracy York was energetic and likeable. "I've convinced myself that I'll never be able to do push-ups," Crace says, "and I struggle with curls — but they will improve."

"Hilary Burnett's Pilates Intermediate" (32 minutes, $19.95, 800-433-6769, www.mindbodymat.com). Reviewed by Darcie Nelson, 32, and Dale Cox, 51, of Seattle.

Nelson and Cox say Burnett's matwork video, set at Bastyr University in Kenmore, was both challenging and rewarding. At first they wondered if they could get an effective workout in just 32 minutes, but discovered "with this video, you can! We found the fast-paced workout challenging to most areas of our bodies, especially the abdominal muscles." An inset screen showed modifications for more advanced and, sometimes, less advanced folks. Though they liked the flow between exercises — "we had to pause or rewind the tape only in a couple spots" — they say, "This video is definitely for someone who is somewhat familiar with Pilates."

"Your Spa At-Home Weekend" (55 minutes, $19.95, www.gallopingpictures.com). Reviewed by Jean Yee, 51, of Edmonds.

"This is not a 'how-to' video," says Yee. It shows a couple's romantic, relaxing weekend in the Pacific Northwest — sailing to a getaway location, soaking in a hot tub, taking hand-in-hand strolls, doing joint stretches and leg, face, shoulder and back massages — narrated by a soothing female voice. "Except for brief demonstrations of stretching exercises and simple massage strokes practiced on a partner, there are few instructions on how to do any of the suggested activities," such as using aromatherapy to enhance relaxation. Yee thought the video, while pleasant to watch, wasn't intended for repeated viewings and was more effective providing inspiration for romance and intimacy than for a spa experience. Even then, "My husband and I agree that it contains a number of good hints, but someone, preferably both partners, would have to put a lot of work into planning, preparing and possibly practicing of techniques to create a successful 'spa at-home weekend.' "

Molly Martin is assistant editor of Pacific Northwest magazine. She can be reached at 206-464-8243, mmartin@seattletimes.com or P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111.

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